


Day Fourteen || Contempt

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [14]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood, F/M, Gen, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-01-15
Packaged: 2019-10-10 14:40:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17427851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: He’s used to it by now. The glares, the whispers, the contempt. In the grand scheme of things, he doesn’t care. People will think of him what they will. And yet...funnily enough, the only person beyond his family that seems to tolerate him - maybe even like him - is someone he’s barely spoken a word to: Hyūga Hinata.





	Day Fourteen || Contempt

He’s used to it by now. The glares, the whispers, the contempt. In the grand scheme of things, he doesn’t care. People will think of him what they will. Never mind the fact that, without him, the world would have ended and they’d all be brainless mokuton zombies.

Before his final confrontation with Naruto, he’d resigned himself to being hated: the necessary evil the world would need to keep it on the correct course. Even now, with his path forcibly changed, he keeps the same opinion of himself. He’s done what he’s done. There’s no erasing or changing the past. All he can do now is move forward...even if those who criticize him clearly can’t do the same.

For now, as his brother recovers, he finds himself in a state of limbo. Returned to Konoha far earlier than he’d ever wanted, and yet...now with reason to stay. But in the same breath...purposeless. All he knows is that, in some way, he needs to ensure Konoha changes for the better. If his brother, and his brother’s family, are to remain here...it must be safe. Primarily for them...but also for everyone. No one else deserves to go through what the Uchiha went through. 

So they won’t.

Not if he has anything to say about it.

All that remains is how to actually accomplish it. Already, before he’s even able to walk, Itachi has talked about plans to rejoin the ANBU. Work in the shadows, as he has for so long. It suits him, Sasuke can’t help but agree. Would such work be a wise choice for him as well? It would mean avoiding the public eye. Eliminating threats against the village without recognition, with most of the populace completely unaware anything is even wrong to begin with. Such is the ANBU’s role.

...but that doesn’t quite feel right.

Because once Itachi’s revival is made public...Sasuke can only assume there will be just as many, if not more, who won’t bother to censor their distaste and hatred against Itachi and his actions, even if they  _ were _ village-sanctioned. To them it won’t matter: that he acted in their interest, that he gave up his life, his home, to keep them safe from the outside. No...they’ll just see a murderer and a traitor, no matter what reasons they give.

It’s the same for him, after all.

Even his own friends - or, so-called friends - have changed. Not that he blames them...but it just goes to show how shallow those feelings are...and have been. Never any offer to help avenge his clan. To bring them justice. Even after Naruto and Sakura were told Itachi’s truth, and the role Konoha played in his clan’s demise...they still sought to drag him back. To chain him in the place that had deemed his family too selfish and dangerous for simply being willing to fight for equal treatment.

And once they saw how far he’d go to change that...everything changed. Naruto still insists they’re best friends. But what kind of best friend says nothing of sanctioned genocide? Even now there’s been no offer to find justice...so Sasuke will just take it himself when the time comes. But this time, he’ll do it right.

Sakura, too, has changed. She avoids him, he can tell...and yet when they end up together, she still puts on that facade-like smile and flirty nature. Does she really still hope for him to love her? After all that’s happened between them? She openly tried to kill him. And he did the same to her. Sakura has seen better than anyone his instability, and willingness to sacrifice what he must to reach his goals.

Her continued affections honestly make him sick. Even now, knowing what she knows, she clings to the boy she never really knew: only idolized, and falsely.

For now...he considers them both strangers. It’s for the best, he’s convinced. They’re not going to do each other any good as they are...and Sasuke has far more pressing priorities.

And yet...funnily enough, the only person beyond his family that seems to tolerate him - maybe even like him - is someone he’s barely spoken a word to.

Hyūga Hinata.

He remembers her, like he remembers everyone. Shy, reserved, weak...and trailing after Naruto. It’d seemed like she’d had some kind of crush on him back then, but...you wouldn’t guess so now. He’s assuming that time wasn’t kind to her in that regard. It’s rather clear Naruto’s still hung up on Sakura, even if Sasuke suspects it started just as shallow in nature as Sakura’s affections for  _ him _ : born out of jealousy and rivalry. As far as Sasuke’s concerned...Naruto can have her. They suit each other, in more ways than one.

Hinata’s grown a lot, he’ll admit. Physically, and mentally. She can speak to the blond now without issue, though Sasuke still notices the somber tinge to the smiles she gives him.

And given her friendship with Itachi’s wife...she was one of the first people to know the truth behind the elder Uchiha brother’s actions.

As such, she seems more...aware than anyone else. As someone from a clan, she knows their politics well. And as someone who struggled with her family as a child...she knows what it means to have been looked down upon. By her father, by someone she called brother...she might not have lost that family, but in a sense, she’d been cut off from it.

So rather than contempt...she offers him understanding. Not sympathy, which he doesn’t want...but she doesn’t treat him like a maniac. Like an explosive tag about to go off, walking on eggshells. She just...talks to him.

...and maybe he appreciates that a lot more than he thought he would.

Naruto had always been butting heads with him. Sakura couldn’t go two words without batting her eyes. Orochimaru had always had that  _ hunger _ when the spoke. Suigetsu had been a tease, Karin an obnoxious flirt...and Jūgo, well...he just didn’t say much at all.

Neither does Hinata, in all fairness. But she’s quiet in the same way Sasuke is. No need to fill the air with noise. Just...sit and enjoy the atmosphere. And only speak when there’s really a need, or something on her mind.

So it’s really no surprise when he just starts...ending up in her presence. After all, they both end up third wheeling it rather often where Naruto and Sakura are concerned. Of course, Hinata has her teammates to tend to as well. And her family, as Sasuke does. But on his end, at least, he has few to go to when it comes to company his age.

Of course...that comes with its consequences.

Even something as harmless as stopping to chat outside a shop brings up the realization: it’s not just Sasuke that gets targeted by his aggressors. It’s anyone he spends time with.

Standing idly with a hand resting on the butt of his sword, he’s simply having a conversation with her when someone bumps him from behind. A glance shows one in turn, a few shinobi looking back over their shoulders at him sourly. Sasuke doesn’t otherwise react, straightening and simply pretending it didn’t happen.

Hinata, on the other hand, stares after them with an open glower.

“Leave it, Hyūga.”

“But that was so ru-!”

“I know. But if you pick every fight I run into every day, you’d run yourself ragged.” He can’t help a small hint of amusement in his features. “Don’t worry ab-.”

_ Thwack _

Hinata can help a gasp as a splatter of mud drenches down the front of her lilac shirt. Staring at the mess for a moment, she completely misses the blur of movement that is Sasuke. In a blink, he’s across the street, holding the culprit to a building with a forearm against his neck. His unhidden eye glows a furious red.

“...that was uncalled for,” he offers in a voice far too calm for his expression. There’s no acknowledgement of the shocked people around him, clearly on edge. “Why don’t you go over there and apologize to the lady...before I change my mind and just coat  _ your _ shirt with healthy helping of blood…?”

“Sasuke-kun, don’t!” A pleading hand tugs at his shoulder.

He ignores her. “...look, asshole. Do what you want to me. But leave my friends out of it. Because as much as I couldn’t give a shit what you do to  _ me _ ...I’m not gonna be happy when you drag someone I care about into something that’s got nothing to do with them. Got it?”

Pale as a ghost and looking ready to cry, the guy just give a jerky nod, sliding down to his rear when Sasuke releases his hold. Nonchalant as ever, he lets his kekkei genkai fade. “...c’mon Hyūga. We’re done here.”

Glancing between the two, she eventually trots after him. “Was...was that wise…?”

“Hn?”

“I mean...people already are afraid of you. Really, you didn’t have to do that. Not if it’ll only make things harder on you.”

“I’ve had a lot worse happen to me than someone taunting me. Especially someone I can lay flat on their ass in a blink.”

“...but…?”

“What pissed me off was involving you. My mistakes and actions have nothing to do with you. And they need to know better than do that, even if it means giving me more shit. I can handle it.” A dark eye glances to her. “...you don’t deserve that.”

“...well neither do you.”

“A lot of people would beg to differ.”

“Well...screw them.”

A brow lifts at her language.

“...you’ve done wrong in the past, sure. But you’ve moved on, and you’re changing for the better. Continuing to treat you like that is wrong...and doing so in the first place isn’t any better.”

Watching her as they walk for a few paces, Sasuke eventually snorts.

“...what?”

“...nothing.”

**Author's Note:**

> Huzzah, two weeks down! And I actually had an easy time with this prompt, just...had a busy day, hence the late posting!
> 
> Anywho, this one's...pretty straightforward. Sasuke honestly couldn't care less what people do to him. But mess with someone he cares about - someone who doesn't deserve it - and you've got a storm coming, bud!
> 
> Sooo...yeah! I guess that's it for tonight - thanks so much for stopping by and reading!


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